Many children, many blessings: Stealing the offspring of powerful figures to cultivate immortality.

Surrounded by its summoned minions, the six-armed demonic ape went berserk. Its massive fists pounded wildly, each punch crushing dozens of low-level demonic beasts into a bloody pulp, a horrific scene of carnage.

Erbao's tactic of "shifting the blame" was insidious but highly effective, greatly relieving the pressure on the front of the city wall.

Jiang Yining looked at her second son in the cradle, who was chewing on his little fist and looking completely innocent, and her lips twitched.

The eldest brother is like his father; he's a battle maniac.

The second son, like his other father, was a cunning schemer.

These genes are truly exceptional.

"All wounded, retreat immediately and take Rejuvenation Pills!" Jiang Yining seized this opportunity to catch her breath and ordered again, "The rest of you, replenish your spiritual energy and prepare for the next wave of attacks!"

However, a demon king is still a demon king.

In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the six-armed demonic ape had slaughtered all the thousands of low-level demonic beasts. Standing atop the corpses, its body covered in blood, its blood-red eyes were fixed intently on the small cradle atop the city wall.

It seemed to realize that the baby was the culprit.

"roar--!"

The six-armed demon ape let out a deafening roar, its chest muscles bulged, and it opened its blood-red maw.

A demonic energy ball, the size of a human head and crackling with black lightning, rapidly condensed in its mouth.

That's its innate divine power—Annihilation Demon Lightning!

The energy contained within is likely enough to threaten half of Jiang City!

"Not good!" Chu Jinglan's expression hardened. He could feel the energy contained within that demon energy sphere. Once it exploded, not only would the newly formed earth shield be destroyed instantly, but the entire city-protecting formation would also be destroyed!

He wanted to rush back to help immediately, but the beast horde in front of him seemed to have gone mad, with countless monsters forming a wall of flesh with their own bodies, holding him back tightly.

"Da Bao!" Jiang Yining shouted sharply.

Jiang Lei understood immediately. His small body transformed into lightning once more, and the Xuan Tie sword in his hand burst forth with dazzling light. Man and sword became one, and he thrust straight towards the demon energy ball that was gathering!

He wanted to detonate the demon energy sphere before it could take shape!

"Foolish!" The six-armed demonic ape let out a disdainful sneer. It suddenly swallowed the not-yet-fully-formed demonic energy ball back, and then its six arms shot out, forming an impenetrable net of fists in front of it to meet Jiang Lei's sword.

This seems to be a trap!

It seemed to be deliberately feigning weakness to lure Jiang Lei into making the first move!

"puff--"

Jiang Lei's sword light collided with the fist net as if it had hit an iron mountain. The powerful recoil caused him to spit out a mouthful of blood on the spot, and his small body flew back like a kite with a broken string.

The six-armed demon ape seized the opportunity and opened its mouth again.

This time, the Annihilation Lightning had fully formed, carrying a destructive aura, like a black sun, and blasted towards Erbao in the cradle and Jiang Yining, who was trying to catch Jiang Lei!

A sense of powerlessness washed over everyone.

Too fast, too close, almost impossible to dodge!

Jiang Yining instinctively shielded the baby's cradle with her body, preparing to take the hit herself.

However, just as the black sun was about to engulf them...

A figure in blue appeared before her without warning.

It is Chu Jinglan.

He used some secret technique to forcefully break free from the beast tide and teleport back.

He had no time to set up defenses, nor time to unleash the true meaning of Confucianism and Taoism.

He made no extra movements, simply opening his arms and using his back to meet the annihilation lightning.

boom--!!!

A dull, loud thud was heard.

The black light instantly engulfed that area.

The violent energy shockwave blew the top of the entire city tower off, sending countless pieces of debris flying everywhere.

When the light fades.

Jiang Yining was unharmed.

Chu Jinglan, who was standing in front of her, was kneeling on the ground, his back a bloody mess. The blue robe that symbolized his status as the Imperial Tutor had turned to ashes, revealing charred flesh and white bones.

"puff--"

He suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood mixed with fragments of internal organs, his body swayed, and he almost collapsed.

"You..." Jiang Yining looked at his broad back and the hideous wound, her heart tightened, and a complex emotion welled up inside her.

This man... actually got injured while saving her?

"Cough cough..." Chu Jinglan supported himself on the ground and barely stood up. He turned around and saw that Jiang Yining and the two children were all safe and sound. A faint smile appeared on his pale face.

"See... I told you... I could protect you..."

Before the words were even finished, the six-armed demonic ape pounced again. It hadn't expected this human to survive a single blow from its divine power; its eyes gleamed even more fiercely, and its massive fist slammed down towards Chu Jinglan's head!

"You're courting death!" A cold glint flashed in Chu Jinglan's eyes.

"I possess a righteous spirit, and the world upholds the true law!"

He pointed his fingers like a sword and made a feint towards the falling fist.

A white sword of energy, barely visible to the naked eye, shot out instantly.

That sword energy, though seemingly powerless, contained some profound truth of the universe.

The six-armed demon ape's fist abruptly stopped a foot away from his head. Then, starting from its fingertips, fine cracks rapidly spread outwards, and finally, with a "bang," its entire arm, along with half of its shoulder, exploded into a cloud of blood mist!

This is the true strength of a semi-sage of Confucianism and Taoism!

Even though he was seriously injured, he was not someone that a mere demon king could provoke!

The six-armed demon ape let out a shrill scream, its eyes filled with fear as it looked at Chu Jinglan, and turned to flee.

"Trying to leave?" Chu Jinglan snorted coldly, about to give chase.

His body suddenly swayed, and he spat out another mouthful of black blood. The demonic poison contained in the Annihilation Lightning had already invaded his internal organs.

"Don't move!"

A soft hand supported him.

Jiang Yining appeared behind him without his noticing and stuffed a pill into his mouth.

"This is an antidote." She helped him sit down on the ground, her voice somewhat stiff, "You...you mustn't die, my son is still waiting for you to pay child support."

Chu Jinglan looked at her stubborn yet soft-hearted expression and chuckled softly. The laughter aggravated his wound, causing him to cough again.

"Help me...sit down." He leaned against the broken wall of the city and said breathlessly, "I need to circulate my internal energy to expel the poison."

"it is good."

Jiang Yining made him sit cross-legged with his back to her. She looked at his bloodied and mangled back, hesitated for a moment, and then reached out her hand.

Her palm gently touched the intact skin next to his wound.

Within his dantian, the Myriad Spirits Divine Tree emitted a joyful hum.

A surge of imperial dragon energy, a hundred times purer than what she had experienced in the illusion, mixed with the boundless life essence of the Confucian and Taoist semi-saints, flowed continuously into her body through her palm.

This power... is truly a great tonic!

Jiang Yining felt as if she were soaking in a hot spring, every pore of her body relaxing. Her newly formed purple-gold elixir, nourished by this energy, rapidly became solid and round, and her cultivation level was rapidly consolidating and rising.

While comfortably taking advantage of the situation, she feigned concern and softly asked, "How are you? Feeling better?"

Chu Jinglan, who was circulating his internal energy to expel the poison, suddenly felt his life force rapidly draining away.

He frowned and suddenly grabbed the little hand that was causing trouble behind him.

"Jiang Yining," he turned his head, his deep phoenix eyes shining brightly in the firelight. He looked at her, his voice hoarse, yet tinged with helplessness and doting, "Taking advantage of someone's misfortune, isn't that a bit inappropriate?"

Caught red-handed, Jiang Yining's face flashed with embarrassment, but she quickly regained her composure and said confidently, "What do you mean by taking advantage of someone's misfortune? You used my antidote pill, and I absorbed a little of your vital energy. That's called an equal exchange!"

Chu Jinglan looked at her self-righteous and shameless behavior and was not angry at all. Instead, he found it a little funny.

He didn't let go of her hand, but simply pulled her closer, their faces no more than a foot apart.

"How about...we try a different exchange method?"

His gaze fell on her slightly parted red lips, which were parted due to nervousness.